John was quite thrown by the idea that he should be mayor. He had never thought of taking a prominent public rôle – he had never thought he was up to it. He distrusted his own powers, as he told his old friend and mentor, the Revd James Griffin. His work as a councillor in suggesting solutions for technical problems must always have been similar to his professional life, and dealing with the problems of people living in his ward must have been very like the work he had been used to for years with the Rusholme Road Chapel. Being the public face, the "first citizen", of the new Cottonopolis was a very different matter.
And he was very concerned for Alice's "sensitive, shrinking nature", as he told Mr Griffin. Unlike some of her sisters-in-law, Alice had always stayed in private life, she had never been a committee woman, and she had deafness to contend with. As she had written four years earlier
My deafness! My deafness! How it interferes with pleasant communion and makes one dull and uninteresting [1]
How would she feel about taking on the rôle of Mayoress? He thought she might not like it, or perhaps simply the thought of it would make her nervous.
Alice was away in Grasmere and couldn't be consulted in person. He wrote to her on 13 July 1882.
Alderman Curtis had been very reassuring about the duties of the Mayoress. As the new Town Hall was now finished, the Mayoress did not need to do anything or appear any more than she liked. To make the proposal more attractive, Mr Curtis had stressed the advantages – through the position itself and the introductions it would bring – that being mayor would be to his son and partner Charles in his profession. ("I daresay there is a good deal of truth in it," wrote John). And Mr Curtis had said
he had never on any former occasion seen so much unanimity and cordiality, eight or ten of the Council, including Stewart as well as my own friends, commending the proposal. [2]
(Councillor Charles Stewart was elected to the Council at the same time as John. Born in Warkworth in Northumberland, he was a pawnbroker with a sideline in house building projects.)
Alice replied on 14 July
My own beloved husband,
My mind is full of many thoughts, some of them troubled and anxious. If you were here I might be able to explain myself better than in a letter
But she was very definite
On no account would I be a hindrance to your doing what you think is right and best in the matter.
She thought he would like to accept and
If your judgement seconds your inclination, I beg that anything I have said may be forgotten and that you will act accordingly. With regard to any benefit to Charles, I am sceptical – your nature is not one to make capital of any such advantage; you are too disinterested for that. With a very large share of wisdom, I do not believe you have much worldly wisdom. When you take a public office it will be with one thing in view – to forward everything that will be good for the community; private ends will never enter your calculations. If you feel you can afford to do this, I would not hinder, especially if you are assured you will be serving your generation after the Will of God. [3]
John turned next for advice to Alice's nephew John Milne, by this time an established Manchester businessman, for his opinion and on 18 July he wrote to Alice
I had a short talk with John Milne, the only family friend I have consulted. He takes a clear decided view. 'It is the fitting and proper thing for the Council to do, and for you to do.' Many acquaintances have expressed gratification that I have been asked and they hope that I would undertake the office – some very enthusiastically [4]
and he wrote to the Revd James Griffin. Ellen Ewing quotes from the draft letter, written on tissue paper and "singularly difficult to decipher". John explained that he had
just been receiving a deputation from the City Fathers to express the unanimous wish of the Council that I should allow myself to be elected as mayor for the next year. I do not find it easy on this occasion to get into my usual judicial position of looking at a question. The cordiality of the invitation binds me to give it a respectful consideration
 |
| Revd James Griffin in 1847 |
He ended with a summary of the family situation. By this time, the summer of 1882, his youngest child, May, was 17 and John, the eldest, was soon to be 32. John and Alfred had been married men since 1873 and had five children apiece. They and their brothers were hard at work in their chosen careers:
Albert, my good son, goes to Cambridge in October, to qualify as a Doctor of Medicine, to which he is giving himself from the highest motives. Charles is my right hand here in business. He and Mary go on Saturday to join their Uncle Wills in Norway. Edward is living near London helping Dr Siemens in new applications of Electricity. John and Alfred are full of hard work and honourable employment in their respective professions. [5]
Mr Griffin, who had written on 11 September 1872 of his looking forward "if life be spared" to seeing John as Mayor of Manchester and one of his sons as Principal of Owens College [6], wrote back with warm and emphatic encouragement to his "dear and valued Friend"
Your long and valuable services to your Corporation and City claim this reward. Next, your own character, your public talents and ability and the high repute of your family entitle you to the office of First Magistrate of your distinguished City. Besides this, I have not the shadow of a doubt that you will be able, by Divine Assistance, to fill the office with dignity and effect, and very much to the honour and advantage of your eminent City Council and of the great community they represent … You cannot decline to be Mayor [7]
Notes
[1] John and Alice Hopkinson 1824-1910 (1948) ed. Mary Hopkinson and her niece Lady Ewing, with a Preface by Sir Gerald Hurst, K.C., p. 75
[2] ibid., p. 80-1
[3] ibid., p. 81
[4] ibid.
[5] ibid., p. 80
[6] ibid., p. 62
[7] ibid., p. 80
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